Method of making binders



DeqZO, 1949 P. v. SPINNER METHOD OF MAKING BINDERS Filed Nov. 12, 1946 FIG. 4

INVENTOR PHILIP V. SPINNER Patented Dec. 20, 1949 UNITE D STAT ES- E N T OFF ICE METHOD OF' MAKING BINDERS Philip'V. Spinner, Chicago, 111., assignor to Plastic Binding Gorp'oration, Chicago, 111., a corporation of Delaware Application November 12, 1946, Serial No. 709,358

8 Claims. (Cl. 18-56) a backbone from which extend:v a plurality of fingers curled into a position overlapping the backbone.

It is oneof the obie'ct's'of the present invention to provide a process 'f'or making a binder of the above mentioned type which will permit the use of extruded tubular stock for the fabrication of'the binder'and which will utilize the material of the tube with a -minimumof waste. In accordance with the princip'les 1 of the present invention an extruded plastic tube is die cut: to form two incomplete binders each" of which consists of a backbone with fingers extending therefrom. The free ends of the fingers of each binder are spaced from the backbone thereof by an amount approximately equaltothe width of thebackbone. The two incompleted open bindersare then separated from oneanother and each one is" then fabricated to close thegap between the'free ends of the fingers thereof and the* backbone. This fabrication consists in forcing the free ends of thefingers and the back: together either into abutment or intooverlapping relationship as desired, andapplyingheat to' thebinder while itis being'thus formed; so=that upon cooling of the binder the binder retains the shape to which it has been formed,- namely, that of'closed' rings held together by 'a backbone:

The attainmentof the above and further objects of the present invention will be apparent from the: following" specification taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing forminga part thereof;

In'the drawing: I

Figure 1 isa perspective view of a tube blanked in accordance withthe present' invention;

Figure 2 is a sectional view of the tube of Figure. 1, taken along the line 2-2 of Figure 1;

Figures I 3 and. 4:. are perspective 1 viewsof' two incomplete bindersrwhiclir result from separation of the cut tubea's inFigure-l;

Figure 5. illustrates, diagrammatically, the manner of completing the binder o'f= Figures 3 and4 Figure 6 is a fragmentary perspective-view ofa completed binder;

FigureT is a fragmentary viewcorresponding to Figureand showing 'an' alternate method of completing the "binder of Figure for 5; and

Figures is a sectional view through the binder completed by the process of "1"igure' 7-;

- Refrencemay nowb'e had'' more" particularly to the drawings wherein like reference numerals designate like parts throughout.

The binder of the present invention is made from an extrudedcylindrica'l tube of Celluloid, cellulose acetate, pyroxylin, Vinylite or other thermoplasticresilient materialc The tube l is cut to form two binders. The cut is along a longitudinally extending sinusoidal line 2 and. along:

lines of cut 4 whichextend circumferentially'of the cylinder, each lineof cut 4 extending through an are less than 360. The cylindricallines of cuti are joined by lines ofcut 5' and 6 which are spaced on opposite sides of the sinusoidalline 2 to provide fingers 8 and mextending respectively from two lengthwise extending backbones 1 and 9 which abut on opposite sides oi the sinusoidal line of cut 2. After thecylinderhasbeen cut in the manner indic'atedlin' Figure 1 the out parts are separated to provide two" similar incomplete binders illustrated in Figures 3 and 4. Each ofthe incomplete binders has a backbone I or 9'from which extend the curled fingers it or I0, as the case maybe, formingalmost but not quite closed loops. The spaces between thefree ends 5 of the fingers In and the backbone 9 in" Figure 3 are exactly equal tothe' width of the backbone l of the incomplete: blank of Figure 4-, and the spaces between the free ends 6 of the'fing'ers 8 of the backbone! of Figure rare the spaces that were occupied bythe: backbone 9 of Figure 3. There is thus produced two substantially identicalbinders each of which is incomplete in that there is a gap between the free ends of the fingers thereof and the backbone.

The binders of Figures 3 and 4 may then be completed in the following manner: Inside the incomplete binder'isplaced a cylinder rod 20 which is of a circumference smaller than that ofthe original extruded cylindrical blank I. The rod with the binder therein is then placed in a machine whichincludes a table 2 I and two l movable heated dies 22-7-23 which are movable towards and from one another and which include heated concave semi-cylindrical surfaces 25-41;. The dies are then moved towards one another and towardsthearbor 20. The die surfaces 215 and 25- iorce the fingers- IU- and the backbone 9 towards one another. The diameter of the rod 28 chosen and the radii of'th'e curved surfaces 25 and 26 are so related to' the specific size of the blank of Figure 3 that when the dies 22-423 are brought together the free ends 5 of the fingers ii! are moved into: a position exactly abutting the backbone 9. Thediesheat the binder to a temperature which isnot'high enough to make the material tacky but sufiiciently high to impart a permanent set thereto upon cooling. This results in the production of a binder such as shown in Figure 6, wherein the binder is of a circular cylindrical shape and of a diameter slightly less than the diameter of the original blank tube l and wherein the edges of the free ends of the fingers is bear against the edges of the outside of the backbone 9.

If it is desired to produce a binder wherein the fingers overlap the backbone, from an incomplete binder such as shown in Figure 3, it is merely necessary to use a cylindrical rod 20' which is of somewhat smaller diameter than the rod 2%! and to use corresponding dies 22'-23', the curved surfaces 25 and 26' of which are also of somewhat smaller diameters than the diameters of the corresponding curved parts of the dies of Figure 5. This is illustrated in Figure '7. In this case the cylindrical rod 20' around which the blank of Figure 3 is placed is held stationary, and the heated die 23 is first moved towards the cylindrical rod 20. This forces the backbone of the binder into intimate contact with the rod 20, the surface 28' being of a radius greater than the radius of the rod 20 by the thickness of the blank. Thereafter the die 23' is retracted and the heated die 22 is moved to the right of the position shown in Figure 7 and then moved downwardly. The die 22' is moved to the right until the straight part 21 of the die has forced the finger l0 against the rod 26'. Atthis time the upper right hand part of the curve 25' has forced the finger l0 over and above the backbone 9. The right hand end of the curve 25', indicated at 28, is at a height above the rod 20' by an amount slightly more than necessary to clear twice the thickness of the blank material. Thereafter the die 22' is moved downwardly thereby forcing the last 90 of the fingers l0 into a circular shape with the ends of the fingers in firm contact with the portions of the backbone overlaid thereby. Thereafter the die 22' is first raised and then retracted. The rod 20' with the curled binder thereon is removed from the machine and, after cooling of the binder on the rod the binder is removed from the rod. This results in the production of a binder of a cross section such as shown in Figure 8, wherein the fingers It overlap the backbone 9.

The incomplete binder of Figure 3 or 4 may be formed into a complete binder such as shown in Figure 6 or 8 by steps diiierent from that illustrated in Figures 5 and 7. For instance, the

incomplete binder of Figure 3 may be rolled to a completion by inserting thereinto the circular arbor or rod 20 or 20 as the case may be and then rolling the arbor with the incomplete binder around it in a machine of the type illustrated in the patent to C. B. Nelson and I. Spinner, No. 2,211,744, issued August 13, 1940. The manner in which this may be done is described in that patent.

In compliance with the requirements of the patent statutes I have here shown and described which extend a plurality of curled spaced apart fingers which comprises, providing a plastic resilient tube cut to form two longitudinally extending backbones from each of which extends the fingers to form a binder and with the fingers of each binder extending into the spaces between fingers of the other binder, then separating the tube along the lines of out to provide two incomplete tubular binders each with the fingers and backbone thereof extending through an are which is open by an amount substantially equal to the width of the backbone of the other binder, then forcing the fingers of the separated incomplete binders to a position closing said opening and applying heat to each binder in an amount suflicient to cause the fingers thereof to remain in the closing position after cooling, then cooling the same.

2. The method of making a tubular plastic binder of the type comprising a backbone from which extend a plurality of curled apart fingers which comprises, providing a plastic resilient tube, then cutting the tube to form two longitudinally extending backbones from each of which extends the fingers to form a binder and with the fingers of each binder extending into the spaces between fingers of the other binder, then separating the tube along the lines of cut to provide two incomplete tubular binders each with the fingers and backbone thereof extending through an arc which is open by an amount substantially equal to the width of the backbone of th other binder, then forcing the fingers of the separated incomplete binders to a position closing said opening and applying heat to each binder in an amount sufiicient to cause the: fingers thereof to remain in the closing position after cooling, then cooling the same.

3. In the art of making a tubular plastic binder of the type comprising a backbone from which extend a plurality of curled spaced apart fingers, the steps which comprise, providing a plastic resilient tube, then cutting the tube to form two longitudinally extending backbones from each of which extends the fingers to form a binder, and with the fingers of each binder extending into the spaces between fingers of the other binder, then separating the tube along the lines of cut to provide two incomplete tubular binders each with the fingers and backbone thereof extending through an are which is open by an amount substantially equal to the width of the backbone of the other binder.

4. The method of making a tubular plastic binder of the type comprising a backbone from which extend a plurality of curled spaced apart fingers which comprises, providing a plastic resilient tube cut to form two longitudinally extending backbones from each of which extends the fingers to form a binder and with the fingers of each binder extending into'the spaces between fingers of the other binder, then separating the tube along the lines of cut to provide two incomplete tubular binders each with the fingers and backbone thereof extending through an arc which is open by an amount substantially equal to the width of the backbone of the other binder, then closing said openings. I

5. The method of makin a tubular plastic binder of the type comprising a backbone from which extend a plurality of curled spaced apart fingers which comprises, providing a plastic resilient tube cut to form two longitudinally extending backbones from each of which extends the fingersto form a binder and with the fingers of each binder extending into the spaces between fingers of the other binder, then separating the tube along the lines of out to provide two incomplete tubular binders each with the fingers and backbone thereof extending through an are which is open by an amount substantially equal to the width of the backbone of the other binder, then forcing the fingers of the separated incomplete binders to positions closing said openings.

6. The method of making a tubular plastic binder of the type comprising a backbone from which extend a plurality of curled spaced apart fingers which comprises, providing a plastic resillent tube, then cutting the tube to form two longitudinally extending backbones from each of which extends the fingers to form a binder and with the fingers of each binder extending into the spaces between fingers of the other binder, then separating the tube along the lines of out to provide two incomplete tubular binders each with the fingers and backbone thereof extending through an are which is open by an amount substantially equal to the width of the backbone of the other binder, then closing said openings.

7. The method of making a tubular plastic binder of the type comprising a backbone from which extend a plurality of curled spaced apart fingers which comprises, providing a plastic resilient tube, then cuttin the tube to form two longitudinally extending backbones from each of which extends the fingers to form a binder and with the fingers of each binder extending into the spaces between fingers of the other binder, then separating the tube along the lines of cut to provide two incomplete tubular binders each with the fingers and backbone thereof extending through an are which is open by an amount substantially equal to the width of the backbone of the other binder, then forcing the fingers of the separated incomplete binders to positions closing said openings.

8. The method of making a tubular plastic binder of the type comprising a backbone from which extend a plurality of curled spaced apart fingers which comprises, first forming a pair of incomplete tubular binders with the fingers and the backbone of each incomplete binder extending through an are less than 360 by an amount substantially equal to the arcuate extent of the backbone, and with the fingers of each incomplete binder extending between the fingers of the other and abutting the backbone thereof, then separating the incomplete binders of the pair, then forcing the fingers and backbone of each incomplete binder to a loop closing position and applying heat to the binder in an amount sufilcient to cause the binder to remain in said closing position after cooling, and then cooling the same.

PHILIP V. SPINNER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 226,051 Ells Mar. 30, 1880 302,759 Miller et a1. July 29, 1884 1,666,204 Harshberger Apr. 17, 1928 2,285,234 Tauber June 2, 1942 2,304,629 Emmer Dec. 8, 1942 

